


Kiss, Kiss Learn My Secret?

by caterinawrites



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Eventual reveal fic, F/M, Kissing Booth, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, Someone help these kids, double blind reveal, ladrien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-08 00:10:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15919032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caterinawrites/pseuds/caterinawrites
Summary: During a charity event, Adrien takes part in a kissing booth, and Marinette finds that his lips are more familiar than she'd imagined.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a silly post I made on tumblr a while back that I decided to make exist for reasons. Because Adrien is 100% down to kiss Marinette if given the chance and you can't convince me otherwise.

Adrien never really liked using his good looks to influence others, but he supposed upon occasion, if for a good cause, that his genetic gifts could be abused just a little. After all, he was helping people, so it wasn’t really like he was using his beauty for malicious reasons. Even still, he grossly underestimated just how much traffic a “Kiss Adrien Agreste” booth would draw in at the mayor’s charity event, and he stared in horror at the seemingly endless line forming in the plaza, wondering just what he’d gotten himself into.

Of course Chloe was the first one in line, and he felt his stomach clench as she leaned across the counter and puckered her lips. Suddenly he felt a lot less enthusiastic about this idea and wished that he’d gone for hugs instead, though he supposed there was nothing on the booth that said _where_ he would kiss them. Leaning down, he tilted his head to the side and planted a soft kiss on Chloe’s cheek smiling sweetly at her as he pulled away.

“Thanks so much for your donation, Chloe. I’m sure the sick kids will be delighted when the hospital buys new medical equipment,” He said, waving as she was escorted away grumpily.

Somewhere in the middle of the line, Marinette stood on her tip toes, straining to catch a glimpse of Adrien as she chewed her upper lip nervously. Alya watched from her place at the concession booth with an amused smirk, pressing her finger to her bluetooth as Marinette’s voice sounded in her ear.

“I don’t know if I can do this. Maybe I should just come back,” She said in her token chickening out tone.

“Relax, girl, he’s only kissing people on the cheek,” She said with a laugh as Marinette tapped her feet. “Besides it’s for a good cause, so just think of all the sick kids who are going to benefit from your euros.”

“I know, but I can’t help but feel a little anxious. I mean we actually know each other, so what if it’s super awkward?” Marinette curled her shoulders a little. “What if I trip and fall and knock over the display stand and land on top of him and end up awkwardly bumping into his teeth with my teeth and, oh, Alya, what if I chip one of his teeth he’ll never forgive me, and his modeling career will be over forever, and I’ll be the girl who ruined the Agreste fashion line and-”

“Girl, you think too much,” Alya scolded, rolling her eyes. “Look the only thing that’s gonna happen when you get to the front of the line is you’re going to put a couple euros in a box then Adrien is going to kiss your cheek for maybe 0.2 seconds then you’re going to come back here and eat a crepe.”

“Yeah, you’re right, Alya,” She said, twisting one of her pigtails before bouncing giddily. “I’m gonna get a kiss from Adrien!”

“That’s the spirit.”

Adrien paused to take a sip of water from his thermos, scanning the line in hopes of seeing the end, but more people were piling in as he watched. He caught sight of a familiar set of pigtails in line and felt a smile curl on his lips as he leaned forward to press a quick kiss to their next donator’s cheek. When she finally made it up to him, she placed her bill in the box shakily and offered him a sheepish grin.

“I-I thought that maybe you’d like to see a framildly- I mean a friendly, familiar face because you’ve been kissing a lot of strangers today, and I totally support the cause, and I’d support it even if you weren’t kissing everyone who donates because I think it’s really great to help people, and so, um, yeah…” She clasped her hands together in front of her, shifting her gaze to her feet and patiently awaiting her kiss.

Adrien felt his heart soften, and he leaned across the booth, cupping a hand on her cheek and lifting her chin as he touched his lips to hers gently. Her spine stiffened a little then she melted into his embrace, leaning into the kiss as Adrien caressed her jawline with his thumb. When they pulled away, her eyes searched his frantically, and he offered her a playful wink.

“Thanks so much for coming. It means a lot that you thought about my feelings,” He murmured against her lips. “You’re super awesome.”

“Mmm yeah,” She hummed in a daze, waving as the assistants led her away, and she didn’t stop waving until she made it all the way back to the concession booth where Alya gently slapped her hand down. “He kissed me for real.”

“Yeah, that was really surprising,” Alya said, tapping her chin. “But I got it all on camera!”

“His lips taste like vanilla,” She sighed, leaning against the glass display case. “And for some reason seem oddly familiar.”

“I mean, you only fantasize about kissing him 8 times a day,” Alya said pointedly. “Maybe your fantasies are too real.”

Marinette pursed her lips, eyes narrowing as she watched him return to kissing cheeks. Her kissing expertise was extremely limited as she’d only ever kissed one other person, but for some reason she felt like they’d kissed before. The way his lips curved against hers, his breath hot against her own brought her back to Valentine’s Day, but she shook the thought from her head immediately. It was impossible. Alya was probably right, and she just fantasized too much though the more she thought about it the more vivid her memory became.

She’d done her best to block out her kiss with Chat Noir because she was just doing her job, but now with Adrien’s kiss still tingling on her lips, she couldn’t stop thinking about how similar their lips were. Of course Alya was always trying to convince her that Adrien looked like Chat Noir, and now that she was considering it with a mask and a costume…

Her heart skipped a beat in her chest as realization dawned on her, and she felt the color drain from her face. She had kissed those lips before, and those lips tried to kiss her nearly every time they saw each other yet she always pushed them away. She hated to admit it, but Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir.

“Son of a-”

 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next evening, Ladybug leaned against a chimney with a pensive frown, arms crossed over her chest as she stewed over her new found information. If Adrien really was Chat Noir, did that mean he was actually in love with her? If she told him who she was, could they be together? And did she still want to be with him now that she thought he was Chat Noir?

Well, that much she knew, of course she did. Adrien being Chat Noir would be a wonderful thing because they’re already so comfortable with each other and talking to him would be way less daunting. Plus it showed her a more open side of Adrien, something she’d been longing for since they met, and it also showed that Chat Noir could tone it down when he wanted. It was surprisingly easy to transfer her feelings from one to the other because she already trusted Chat Noir so much. He was her best friend which meant that she was also best friends with Adrien. That is, assuming that her speculations were correct; she still wasn’t entirely certain that her suspicions were true.

In actuality, she was feeling a bit conflicted over the whole thing. Because now that she was thinking about it, her curiosity hounded her every minute of the day, but on the other hand, she wondered if she really _should_ be thinking about who her partner really was. Their identities kept them safe; she knew that better than anyone, but the possibility of Chat Noir being Adrien made it oh so tempting to dig deeper. Should she test him? Would he get suspicious? What if she was right? Then she’d know his identity and not the other way around which just seemed unfair considering Chat Noir wanted to know more than she did.

The entire conundrum was making her head hurt, and for once she wasn’t really sure what to do. If she was right, then she already knew Chat’s identity, but if she was wrong then that meant she just spent the last 24 hours fantasizing about Chat Noir for no reason, and she did _not_ want him to find that out. There had to be an easy way to test her theory without alerting Chat that she was onto him.

“Evening, m’lady, you’re looking stunning tonight.” His voice made her heart skip, goosebumps trailing up her back and arms as he lowered down off his staff.

“This is what I always look like. It’s my costume,” She said pointedly, attempting some semblance of normalcy.

“I know,” He said, leaning against his baton with that dreamy, flirtatious grin of his, and she felt her cheeks flush. “What’s the status report?”

“I, uh, patrolled the east side of town. Nothing too out of the ordinary, just a lost dog and a cab driver with a flat tire,” She said, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Yeah, the south end was pretty quiet tonight too,” Chat remarked, examining his claws before flicking his gaze back up to her with an impish smirk. “Looks like we have the rest of the evening to ourselves now. We could go for a romantic walk through the Trocadero, or we could just stay here, watch the stars, snuggle up really close…”

He waggled his eye brows, and she pursed her lips, looking him up and down contemplatively. If she was going to investigate further, she supposed he was presenting her the perfect opportunity. Though if she turned out to be wrong about him being Adrien, would he think that she led him on? _Was_ she leading him on just because she thought he was the boy she had a crush on? In a way, she supposed she was, but she didn’t mean to hurt him. Figuring out the morality here was harder than one of Mme. Mendeleiev’s physics tests.

“Okay,” She said after a moment of hesitation, and Chat’s staff collapsed, nearly causing him to fall over out of shock.

“You- You mean it?” He gaped in disbelief, and she shrugged, averting her gaze a little.

“I don’t have anything else to do tonight, and the weather is nice…” She said lamely, clasping her hands together in front of her, and Chat’s face brightened, bringing a nervous flush to her cheeks.

Chat Noir really did adore her, and by default so did Adrien if she was right. Which she was dying to know if she truly was. If she was right, would she tell him? Did she have a right to keep it from him if she knew? The longer she kept it a secret, the more likely she was to hurt him in the end if he found out, and the last thing she wanted to do was upset him, but she didn’t know what else to do. For now she just needed to lay low and take things one step at a time. Chat Noir had been chasing her since day one which meant that he was patient and would likely take whatever she gave him. She needed to be smart about this.

“Come with me. I know the perfect place,” He said excitedly, brandishing his staff and launching off the roof.

Ladybug took a deep breath before following after him with her yoyo. She felt incredibly nervous all of a sudden, those same butterflies fluttering in her stomach that she usually got when she was around Adrien. Was she going to start getting them around Chat now? His flirting was going to become unbearable for a completely different reason after this.

Chat landed on a tall roof and turned to her with a smile before sitting down and patting the space beside him. Fastening her yoyo back to her hip, she sank down next to him stiffly, and they sat in awkward silence for a moment, tapping their fingers against their legs before he finally spoke.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, and now I don’t even know how to react,” He admitted, scratching the back of his head. “I’m just really happy that you’re staying with me tonight.” Her cheeks grew hotter as he shifted his gaze to his lap shyly but then a playful grin spread across his lips. “I take it my feline charm finally wore you down?”

She couldn’t help the laugh that burst from her chest as he flexed. All she could see was Adrien acting like goofy Chat, and it took the edge off of her nerves. Regardless of whether or not he was Adrien, Chat was still someone she trusted and felt comfortable around, and he did truly love her. Perhaps her feelings transferred so easily because a part of her loved him already too.

“You caught me,” She said, pressing a hand to her forehead dramatically. “All of those puns finally wore me down.”

“I mew they would.” He winked, leaning into her face, and she felt her breath hitch at the sudden proximity of their lips.

If she wanted to confirm her suspicions, she supposed that she could compare the two once and for all, but if they weren’t the same person, then she’ll have given Chat hope for no reason. It wasn’t fair to him to expect him to be someone he wasn’t, but if he _was_ then she could finally be with the person she loved. Chat followed her every movement, green sclera fixed on her hands as she moved them up to cup his face, gently tugging him down to meet her lips.

At first he stiffened, as if he were surprised, but he quickly melted against her touch, wrapping his arms around her and cupping her face in his hand. His lips were soft and gentle, restrained almost, as if he were holding himself back, and they curved against her own exactly as she remembered. They felt the same as they did on Valentine’s Day, and the same as they did the day before which only made her heart pound harder.

Adrien _was_ Chat Noir, and he was in love with her.

When they pulled away, Chat remained close, eyes still closed as he pressed his forehead to hers and breathed her in contently. He peeked them open at her, his gaze steady and full of warmth. Her skin tingled from his touch, and her heart threatened to beat out of her chest at any moment. She wasn’t used to someone looking at her that way as if she were their whole world, but he leaned back abruptly, leaning his head against the wall and letting out a breathy laugh.

“Wow,” He breathed, a wide grin stretched across his lips, and soon a soft purr rumbled up from his chest. He clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle it, embarrassed, but she chuckled and leaned against his shoulder, eliciting a steadier, louder purr as he hugged her close.

“Silly kitty.” She flicked his bell.

“So what really changed your mind?” He asked, and she felt her gut clench.

“I don’t know,” She lied, shrugging her shoulders. “I just…you’re always flirting with me, and I guess once I realized that you were serious, I just kind of fell.”

He smiled, leaning his head against hers contently as his chest vibrated softly against her cheek, and all she could picture was Adrien. She was sitting on a rooftop with Adrien, snuggled against his chest while he purred. She kissed him, and he kissed her back. She could kiss him again if she wanted, and Marinette could too with just two words. How tempting it was in that moment to drop her transformation and spill her heart, but it was too dangerous with Hawkmoth still on the loose.

“So how exactly is this going to work?” Chat asked after a while, shifting to face her. “I mean, we’re superheroes, so does this mean you want to…ya know?” He pointed to his mask, but she bit back a smirk and flicked his bell again.

“No way,” She said, and he deflated a little. “At least, not yet. Not until we defeat Hawkmoth and everyone is safe.”

Chat pursed his lips but nodded.

“I understand,” He said softly, leaning down to peck her cheek. “I’ll wait forever if I have to.”

Her heart lurched in her chest as he pulled away, and she cleared her throat, cheeks as red as her suit. “Well, hopefully it won’t be that long. We can tell each other soon enough, okay?”

“And then…do you think that we could be together?” He glanced up at her through his eyelashes.

“Yeah,” She bit her lip with a nod. “I hope so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I wasn't going to continue this one, but so many people wanted me to, and I kind of came up with an idea for where to go with it, and let me tell you, it's gonna get even more frustrating than this ;) I will do a full reveal eventually, but not right away.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Mlle. Bustier’s class had become close-knit over the year, and often planned group outings outside of school hours, and today’s venture found them at the ice skating rink. On most occasions, Chloe skipped any events planned by the class unless a very particular classmate was guaranteed to be there, and as luck would have it, his father was feeling generous that day.

Marinette watched in annoyance as Chloe clung to Adrien’s arm as they skated along, her lips screwed into a sour pout. Of course, she knew now that Adrien’s heart belonged to Ladybug and, by default, her, but it didn’t make Chloe any less of a nuisance. She felt her eyes rolling into the back of her skull as Chloe showed off her skating, though it did give her an idea.

“That girl is so self-absorbed. I feel bad for Adrien,” Mylene said as their group watched from a distance.

“He lets her walk all over him though and still calls her his friend,” Alix said pointedly, circling the group with her arms propped behind her head.

“Still, you can tell how uncomfortable he is,” Alya remarked with a wince as Adrien offered Chloe a fake smile in response to another trick.

“Maybe someone should go save him,” Marinette said with a sly grin, squaring her shoulders.

“And how do you plan to do that? By crashing into him?” Alix snorted, but Marinette broke away with a wink.

“That’s exactly what I plan to do,” She said, and they watched as she teetered away, legs wobbling unsteadily as she approached Adrien.

She wasn’t a particularly _bad_ skater, but she could be a convincing actress when the time called for it. Maybe if Adrien saw a little Ladybug in her they could become closer friends. Then things wouldn’t be so weird when they finally revealed their identities.

“Whoa!” She gasped, stumbling a few paces away from him and barreling into his side. He caught her easily and helped her up. “Sorry! I’m not very good at this.”

“No worries, Marinette,” He said with a laugh.

“”Hey! Why don’t you go bump into someone else? You’re distracting Adrien from my elegant performance,” Chloe huffed, flipping her ponytail, but Marinette paid her no mind as she placed her hands on his chest.

“I’m having a hard time finding my footing,” She admitted timidly. “You’re so good at this. I wish I could skate like you.”

She lowered her gaze with a slight pout, casting her bait, and Adrien bit without a second thought.

“I can teach you, if you want,” He offered with a warm smile, and Marinette perked up.

“That’s so kind of you. Thanks, Adrien,” She said with a giggle, beaming a little as they broke off from a fuming Chloe.

“All you do is slide your feet, like this,” He demonstrated before circling back and placing a hand on the small of her back. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

Marinette made a point to cling to him a little more than necessary as she shuffled her feet, stumbling a little after several feet so that he held her closer. Her friends watched in shock as she flirted shamelessly, placing her hands on his chest, holding onto his hands, looking up at him through her lashes, and they had to wonder where this sudden burst of confidence came from.

“Sorry!” She yelped, slipping and catching herself around his waist. “I’m so clumsy.”

“You’re actually doing really well,” He said, steadying her. “You’re a fast learner.”

“You’re a good teacher,” She complimented sweetly, casting him a coy smile.

“Why don’t we take a break and get some hot chocolate?” He suggested, nodding toward the concession area.

“Sounds good,” She said, eagerly biting back a smile as he took her hand and guided her back to the exit.

She flashed the girls a grin, and Alya slow clapped, shaking her head while the others gave thumbs up.

“Find us a table, I’ll go buy them,” He instructed as they removed their boots.

“Okay.” She nodded, sauntering over to a table and biting back a smile. Tikki peeked out from her purse and cocked an impressed brow.

“You’re doing really well, Marinette,” She said proudly, and Marinette tugged at a pigtail with a giggle.

“It’s so much easier to talk to him now that I know who he is. It’s just funny to me that Chat can be so sweet and gentle, and Adrien can be so brash and flirtatious. They really are very different,” She remarked, leaning against her fist.

“Are you sure that it’s Adrien?” Tikki asked skeptically.

“Well, you know I’m right, right? You’ve seen who Chat Noir really is,” Marinette said, poking her belly. “I’m positive on this, even if you’ll never confirm nor deny it. Now, let’s see if we can get the kitty to come out.”

“I’m back,” Adrien announced, setting a cup in front of her then taking the empty seat, and Marinette smiled up at him before taking a sip.

“It’s nice that your dad let you come out today,” She said conversationally. “Maybe he’s finally starting to loosen up a bit.”

“I think it’s just a rare glitch in his mood. I’m half convinced he’s some sort of robot sometimes,” He said, leaning against his fist and stirring his hot chocolate. “But I am happy that I got to come out with everyone. If I hadn’t then you’d still be crashing into everything.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” She said with a laugh. “You and I make a pretty good team, huh?”

“Totally.” Adrien nodded. “I’m really glad that we’ve become good friends. Sometimes when my father keeps me at home, I worry that everyone will forget about me, but you guys always make sure I feel welcome.”

“We know that it isn’t your fault. Besides, everyone likes you. You’re really awesome and fun to be around,” She said, placing a hand over his. “I wish we could hang out more often.”

“Me too.” He smiled, cheeks flushing a little under her gentle smile. “But you can always facetime me. Whenever you want. It’s always nice to have someone to talk to when I’m stuck at home.”

“I will! Sometimes I like to bounce ideas off people when I design and ask for opinions, so it would be perfect if I could call you.” Adrien perked up, holding her gaze for a long moment before doing something totally unexpected. He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her palm without breaking eye contact.

“I’d be honored if you shared your designs with me,” He said, breath tickling her skin, and she felt her cheeks heat up under his gaze.

“Cool then I’ll totally phonetime- calltime- _facetime_ with you next time,” She stammered, rubbing the back of her neck.

On second thought, she wasn’t sure if her heart could handle Adrien acting like Chat Noir.

Loud screams sounded from the rink, and the two stood up, spinning around to see people piling out of the exit as steam began to cloud the rink. Marinette glanced over at Adrien who wore a determined frown, and he shot her a serious look.

“We should get out of here,” He said, gently nudging her toward the exit. “You go on ahead, I’ll make sure everyone gets out safely.”

Of course he wanted to split up, but now wasn’t the time to prod him. She had an akuma to purify, so she turned without another word and trotted off to find a safe place to transform.

Adrien watched her go, waiting a few moments before dashing off himself. Plagg floated up from his shirt as he ducked into the back hallway and darted around the corner. He hoped everyone made it out okay, but he knew that everything would be fine in the end so he didn’t worry too much. He touched his ring, punching the air in front of him as he readied his command, but a voice up the hall stopped him. Someone must be hiding out, so he couldn’t transform there.

“Alright, Tikki.” He recognized that voice. Curious, he paced over to peek around the next wall to see Marinette change in a flash of pink light as her red suit materialized, and he shot back, heart shooting up to his throat.

Marinette was Ladybug?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a double-blind reveal! :D The next chapter is about to be a lot more frustrating~  
> I had this ice skating idea for a while, and originally had it in store to be its own fic, but I decided to pull it in here because the idea of the two of them knowing each others identities but not knowing that the other person knows just seems hilarious to me. So I adapted it to fit here, and since the ending card of Anansi seems to imply that Marinette can ice skate at least decently, I decided to have her pretend to be clumsy as opposed to actually being bad at ice skating. Cause she has now stopped giving a fuck, and I really wanted to write her flirting with him really hard and being confident around him for once because now that he's Chat she's so comfortable around him cause like that's her kitty. He's not so intimidating. Hope you all look forward to what's gonna happen next!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Oh this was bad.

This was _very_ bad.

Adrien paced back up the hall quickly, shoulders tense and eyes wide. Marinette was Ladybug. He saw her transform right before his eyes. He knew her identity now, and she was inevitably, definitely without a doubt going to kill him when she found out.

Was he happy that Marinette was Ladybug? Absolutely, stoked even, also a little intimidated because this just made Ladybug all the more incredible, and now he feared that she was way out of his league. Who was he kidding? Marinette was smart, driven, passionate, kind, creative, a true hero in and out of the mask, and he was just some model with a rich dad. She’d designed an album for _the_ Jagged Stone, and he thought highly of her. Adrien couldn’t hold a candle to Marinette.

And now he knew her secret, and she was going to roast him and turn him into cat loaf then they were going to sell him at the bakery because there was no chance of him maintaining his cool now! Ladybug was finally into him, and just when he felt like he had a chance, he had to go and reveal her identity. She was going to dump him and give his Miraculous to someone more deserving, and he was going to die alone.

During his internal panic, he momentarily forgot _why_ Ladybug was transforming, and he came to right around the time the akuma hurled a table at him.

“Look out!” Adrien saw red as Ladybug tackled him out of the way, and he found himself staring up into brilliant blue eyes. He laid there in a daze as she stood up before she yanked him to his feet and took a defensive stance in front of him. “Go! I’ll cover you.”

“Uh, right,” He said lamely, glancing around before jogging out to the deserted lobby. Plagg surfaced once more, a smug grin on his face.

“How’s it feel to be on the inside?” He cocked a brow.

“I’m so screwed,” Adrien groaned, running a hand through his hair. “I just have to keep my cool for this akuma fight.”

“Well, that’s gonna be hard considering the akuma is melting all the ice,” Plagg said pointedly, and Adrien glanced back at the doors to the rink anxiously before giving a reluctant command to Plagg and pacing back into the action.

“Chat Noir! I need your help,” Ladybug said, grabbing his wrist the moment he entered and pulling him out of the way of a scalding hot blast of water.

“Uh, okay,” He said, keeping pace with her as they circled the concession area.

“The akuma is in the hot chocolate cup, and if we don’t act fast, they’re going to melt the whole building. I need you to shock the cooling mechanism for the floor. Can you do that?” She explained rapidly as they dodged another attack.

“I think I can manage that.” He nodded, breaking away. Distancing himself from her was exactly what he needed.

“Ready Chat Noir?” Ladybug called, hooking her yoyo around the hockey score board and swinging over the rink as the akuma stormed after her, melting the remaining slush under her feet. “Now!”

Chat summoned his cataclysm, touching the temperature controller and causing it to spark and short circuit. The ice floor froze in an instant as the temperature rapidly dropped, trapping the akuma in ice, and Ladybug smiled triumphantly, dropping down and chiseling the cup out of their hand with her ice pick before smashing it under her foot.

Perfect. Short and easy, and while she was distracted with that, he could slip out unnoticed. At least this way he had time to gather his thoughts. He’d make up some excuse about his dad pulling him back home after the akuma then he could avoid Ladybug and Marinette for at least 24 hours until he came up with a plan to break the news to her in a way that hopefully wouldn’t get him on the menu.

“Chat Noir!” He stopped short in the lobby, shoulders tensing.

He turned to face her as she trotted up to him, planting a soft kiss on his lips and wrapping her arms around his neck. She flicked his bell as she pulled away, a warm smile on her lips.

“Thanks for your help today, kitty. I couldn’t have done it without you,” She said, glancing up at him through her lashes and sparking all kinds of reactions in his gut.

“No problem. Just doing my job, ya know,” He chuckled awkwardly. “Better get going. Gonna change back soon, and I don’t want to reveal my identity, and I know you don’t want to reveal yours either, and I’d never do anything that you didn’t want because I totally respect your privacy and would never intentionally seek to discover who you are without your permission, so if I ever found out it would be by total accident, and not because I tried to.”

Ladybug blinked at him in confusion, titling her head to the side as pressure built up in his lungs. He couldn’t do it. The guilt was too much. He needed to tell her, but he couldn’t. At least, not yet! He felt like he was going to throw up. Here a beautiful and incredible goddess stood before him, and he’d absolutely violated her trust. His ring beeped, snapping him out of his downward spiral just in time before he could crash.

“Gotta go, see you later!” He blurted, turning abruptly and darting for the door.

“Chat Noir!” She called again, and he paused with his hand on the bar, bouncing impatiently as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear shyly. “Let’s meet up tonight and take that romantic stroll you wanted.”

Chat felt sweat pooling on his forehead as he bit his lip reluctantly.

“Okay, sounds good,” He said, voice shifting up an octave before he disappeared out the front doors of the building and leaving Ladybug alone in the lobby.

He was definitely going to die tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more chapters left in this story~ So randomfanfairy on tumblr made a post recently about Adrien absolutely panicking if he found out first because Ladybug is Marinette and she's super incredible and out of his league, so I made it exist kind of in this chapter cause the thought of Adrien freaking out over Marinette made me chuckle. This chapter is a little shorter, but I never really plan a specific length for these, I just kind of write until they feel complete. Hope you all continue to enjoy this!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Adrien paced the floor of his bedroom and chewed his lip anxiously. Plagg watched from the computer chair, nibbling on a wedge of Camembert as his chosen stared straight ahead with a pensive frown, turning in circles in a desperate rhythm as he attempted to make sense of the afternoon. Finally he’d gotten his wish, but now he wished that he’d never walked up that hall. He should have just found somewhere else to transform then he wouldn’t be in this mess.

“I thought you’d be happy to learn Ladybug’s identity considering you spent so many nights kissing your pillow thinking about her,” Plagg said pointedly with a belch. “Why are you so worried?”

“Because, Plagg, she didn’t tell me herself,” Adrien said without pausing his cadence. “It’s not that I’m upset to know who she is, I’m glad that she’s Marinette, but I hate that I found out without her knowledge.”

“Big deal. It was an accident. You should just let it go and enjoy all the attention she’s giving you now. You’ve wanted her to go out with you for months, and now she finally agreed to it,” Plagg chided, floating over. “Live a little.”

“I can’t, Plagg!” He groaned, running his hands through his hair. “I’m supposed to be her partner, someone she trusts completely. I can’t keep this from her.”

“You realize you’re walking into your own funeral, right?” His kwami warned, and Adrien cupped his wrist in one hand, eyeing his ring.

“I don’t care. I have to make this right. She’s too important to me, and the last thing I want to do is betray her trust,” He said with a determined frown. “Transform me!”

***

Marinette stood out on her terrace, humming softly to herself as she tended to her plants. She was meeting Chat Noir soon for their date which put her in an exceptionally good mood. After spending time with Adrien at the ice rink, she was finally starting to accept that he was her cat-suit clad partner, and she found that knowing as much made him much more approachable. Hopefully one day he’d reveal that goofy side to Marinette, but for now, she’d just work on getting closer to him. That way when the time came to reveal her secret, he’d already be close to both sides of her.

“Hello.” She startled a little as Chat’s boots clanked above her on the chimney.

“Chat Noir,” She said, blinking in confusion. “What are you doing here?” Upon seeing his conflicted expression, she sobered, setting down her watering can. “Is everything alright?”

“No.” He said, hopping down onto the railing. “Everything is not alright.”

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Is there an akuma nearby-”

“No.” He shook his head. “There’s just something that I need to tell you, and I don’t know how you’re going to react…”

She tilted her head to the side, eyebrows furrowing in confusion as he took a deep breath and stepped off the railing. He glanced up into her eyes timidly as if he were a child about to be scolded.

“Today at the ice skating rink when the akuma attacked, I saw you transform,” He stated, ears drooping. “I didn’t mean to, but it just happened! I know you’re really serious about keeping our identities secret, and I’d never do anything to go behind your back, I swear! I promise not to tell anyone, so please don’t be angry with m-”

Marinette cut him off by grabbing his bell and pulling his lips down to meet hers. He stiffened in shock, breath hitching in his throat as she pulled away and pressed her forehead to his, trailing her fingers through his hair. His eyes searched hers in confusion as a giggle fluttered up from her lungs.

“It’s okay, Adrien,” She said calmly, and it took him a moment to process.

“You- How did you find out?” His eyebrows furrowed. “ _When_ did you find out?”

“Only a few days ago,” She shrugged. “I’ve been debating whether or not I should tell you…”

“What gave me away?” He asked, jaw hanging open in disbelief.

“Your lips,” She hummed, tapping his with her index finger as a sly smile curled on her lips. “You kissed me at the kissing booth, and I thought they reminded me of someone.”

“So you’ve known all this time?” He placed his hands on his hips, and she curled her shoulders guiltily.

“Yes, and I wanted to tell you, but I wasn’t sure if I should. I mean, it’s not fair for me to keep it a secret, but I didn’t want to risk it if something happened to one of us.” She paced over to the other side of her balcony and leaned against the rail. “I’m sorry for not telling you. I just didn’t know what to do.”

“Well, I certainly know how that feels,” He admitted, taking place beside her. “I don’t know how you’ve lived with it for so many days. I could barely even keep my mouth shut for five minutes.”

She chuckled at that, and he shifted his gaze down to his arms on the rail, biting his lip.

“So what now?” He asked, pursing his lips.

“Well, I think we should get to know each other a little bit outside the masks, don’t you think?” She said, cocking a brow. “I’m still up for that romantic walk if you are.”

“I’d love to.” Chat smiled, extending a hand to her with a gentlemanly bow, and she took it without a second thought, stepping into his arms as he reached for his staff. “You better hang on, little lady.”

“I won’t let go,” She said, hooking her arms around his shoulders and leaning against his chest.

He felt a strange sense of normalcy setting in between them as if things had always been this way. All of a sudden Marinette became someone so familiar, and he felt connected to her in a way he never had been. Sure, she and Adrien were friends, but they’d never been quite as close as he wanted, and now when he looked at her, he saw a best friend, a partner, and a girl he loved and cherished so deeply. In that moment, Adrien wasn’t alone anymore because he had her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go~ Are you guys ready for the finale of this? I've had a lot of fun writing it, and it's really satisfying to bring them both together. Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I hope that you enjoy what I have in store for next chapter!!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ladybug rested her chin on top of Adrien’s head, holding him close as they reclined on his couch the next evening. They’d spent all of Saturday night walking through town and then talking on her balcony. Adrien wanted to know everything about her, and she had to admit, having him hang onto every word coming out of her mouth and always looking at her with such adoration made her a little nervous. She’d have to get used to being so intimate with him, seeing as he and Plagg were munching on popcorn in her lap, both engrossed in the movie they were watching.

Adrien certainly was cuddly, insisting on touching her every moment they were together whether they were holding hands or leaning against each other which she didn’t mind necessarily. There were worse things in life than a touch-starved kitten to hold in her arms, and after all this time chasing each other in circles, she wasn’t sure she wanted to let go either. He glanced up from the TV when her arms tightened around his chest, and she nuzzled into his hair, placing the popcorn on the floor and rolling over to face her.

“I like this,” She murmured against his cheek as he hugged himself to her.

“Me too,” He said, leaning up to touch his lips to hers softly.

“I do have just one question though,” She said, drumming her fingers on his back, and he cocked a brow. “What are we going to tell people at school tomorrow?”

“About what?” He asked with a short laugh.

“About us. Three days ago I was just a friend to you, and now you’re lying in my lap like we’ve been together for months,” She said pointedly.

“Well, we’ve kinda been best friends for months, just not as civilians, so we skipped a few steps,” He said with a shrug, pressing his forehead to hers. “I’ve waited too long for this. I don’t want to take things slow.”

“I know, but don’t you think it will be suspicious if we show up at school tomorrow suddenly in a committed relationship?” She gave him a look, and he pursed his lips in thought.

“Well, our friends saw you flirting with me at the ice rink, and I kissed you at the charity event, so we can just tell them we got real snuggly when the akuma attacked.” He winked, and she let out a breath through her nose. “Relax, lovebug. No one is going to suspect anything. I mean, how long did it take us to find out?”

“True,” She conceded, rocking her head back and forth.

“Besides, Nino knows what a hopeless romantic I am, so if I fill your locker with roses and stare at you like you’re a goddess all throughout art class then it’ll just be because I’m excited to be in a relationship,” He said, lifting her hand to his lips and pressing a suave kiss to her knuckles.

“You’re not really going to fill my locker with roses, are you?” She cocked a skeptical brow.

“I might.” He grinned impishly, leaning in to steal a kiss. “I want to treat you like a queen, and if anyone questions that then it’s just because I’m rich and easily excitable.”

“Fine,” She sighed, leaning her head back, and Adrien beamed triumphantly before peppering her neck with kisses, working his way up her jaw until he met her lips once more.

How odd that just a few days ago, kissing Adrien had sent her brain into a state of emergency, but now as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately, she felt strangely at ease. Because Adrien was just her silly partner, and they’d seen each other trip over their own two feet numerous times. She’d seen him flung across Paris, covered in monster goo, tossed into the Seine, and just a few weeks ago, Chat got his hand stuck in a bike rack because he didn’t think to turn his staff the other way. She let him panic for five whole minutes while she laughed until he figured it out and made her swear to never speak of it again. It made all that fretting over what to say to him seem silly.

“What?” He pulled away, eyebrows furrowing.

“Hmm?” She hummed in confusion.

“You’re smiling,” He said.

“I’m happy,” She replied, caressing his jawline. “You make me happy.”

“No.” His eyes narrowed. “You’re thinking about the time I got my hand stuck, aren’t you?”

“What? No!” She said defensively, averting her gaze.

“I had four private lessons that day _and_ a photoshoot! I was tired, and I thought we weren’t going to bring it up again!” He buried his face in her chest in embarrassment.

“I just think it’s ironic that I was always so nervous to talk to Adrien because you seemed so perfect, but then you’re so goofy as Chat Noir. I just find it funny,” She explained, and he let out a small groan. “Hey, I didn’t say it was a bad thing. I just always hoped that one day you would open up to me and show me a different side of you. Granted, I didn’t think that side would be Chat Noir, but I’m still happy nonetheless.”

“I don’t like being Mr. Perfect all the time. Perfect is overrated,” He said against her suit, eyelids hooded sadly. “I just want to make mistakes like everyone else without being reprimanded for it. That’s why I like being Chat Noir so much. H doesn’t have a judgmental father breathing down his neck all the time; he gets to be free.”

Ladybug felt her heart sink, and she pulled him in closer, nuzzling into his hair again.

“Well, I don’t expect you to be perfect, so you can always be yourself around me. I love you no matter what,” She said gently, running her fingers through his hair.

“Thanks, Marinette. You have no idea how much that means to me,” He said, snuggling into her neck.

They stayed that way for a long time, holding each other close and making up for lost time. Neither one was certain about what the future held now that they knew their identities, but they trusted each other and knew that they would always be there for one another when they needed it. They were partners after all; it’s what they always did, and deep down they both knew that things would work out so long as they leaned on one another.

As it turned out, revealing their identities wasn’t some time-stopping magical moment like they both pictured. The world hadn’t ended, and the person they found on the other side of the mask was someone they cared about deeply. Revealing their identities had given them an opportunity to trust each other more than they ever had before, and it had all happened because of a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end!   
> I didn't give Ladrien a chance earlier, so I corrected my error in this chapter. The ending isn't quite how I wanted it, but I feel like that is writing in general lol. Plus a new episode comes out tonight, so I know I'm probably not going to get writing done this evening, so I wanted to go ahead and finish this one out.   
> Next I will be working on finishing the last 4 chapters of The Girl Under the Mask, so if you like Ladrien then check that one out!!


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